Modern telecommunications systems are operated in connection with sophisticated computer networks and typically include Advanced Intelligent Network (AIN) architecture. These telecommunications systems provide numerous advanced services to the customer in a fast, efficient, and largely transparent manner. Generally, an advanced service is a service that provides features or functions that are not usually provided within a local switching system (e.g., #5ESS, manufactured by Lucent Technologies, Inc.). Also, generally, an advanced service is a service that provides features or functions that are relatively complex, that require coordination of multiple systems, and that are implemented typically through the use of data communications between or among network elements. Examples of advanced services include audio caller identification, call forwarding, and advanced services offered by BellSouth Corporation such as Adwatch.SM. service and CrisisLink.SM. service.
In the process of developing and supporting advanced services, the testing and trouble-shooting of these advanced services is critical to ensure proper operation. Prior to implementation of an advanced service, it must be tested to determine if the advanced service will perform as desired in the telecommunications system. When an implemented advanced service is not performing as desired, then trouble-shooting steps must be taken to determine the reason for such lack of performance.
A method of testing and trouble-shooting an advanced service is to place a test call that invokes the advanced service from a test calling line to another test calling line. For example, both of these test calling lines may be located in the same place or laboratory so as to facilitate obtaining test results. By this method, certain aspects of the advanced service may be tested. For example, this method may accomplish the testing of announcement prompts, completion of the call to the other test line, or termination of the call to a busy tone or to a termination announcement.
However, other aspects of the advanced service cannot be tested by this method of simply placing a test call from a test calling line to another test calling line. These other aspects cannot be tested by this method because these other aspects are generally transparent to the person or entity placing or receiving the test call. These other aspects are the "behind-the-scenes" details that are involved in setting up and routing the test call through the telecommunications system and that are involved in the provision or application of the advanced service to the test call. Because these behind-the-scenes details are transparent to the person or entity placing or receiving the test call, these details are referred to herein as transparent data.
Generally, transparent data is transparent to the person or entity making or receiving a call because the transparent data is passed in signaling messages with the call or is recorded for other uses such as billing or measurements without being available to the person or entity making or receiving the call. Transparent data may be classified generally into one of three groups of data relating to a call that is routed through a telecommunications system and to which an advanced service is applied. These three groups of data include: network data; application data; and subscriber data. Network data includes the data that is exchanged between and among network elements in the routing or processing of a call through the telecommunications system. For example, network data may include privacy indicator, billing parts number, carrier code, trigger type, subsystem, originating print code (OPC), destination point code (DPC), and translation type. Network data may be considered ephemeral in that it is used as needed to process or route a call through the network. But after the network data has served its purpose in such processing or routing, the network data generally disappears without a trace. In other words, network data appears as needed and disappears when its usefulness is at an end. Usually, it is impossible to track and review such network data after the call has been processed through the telecommunications system because no record of the network data is made or stored. Thus, network data truly fits the definition of transparent data.
Application data includes the data that is exchanged between and among network elements with respect to the provision or application of an advanced service to a call. For example, application data may include timers, default routing, data variables, announcement types, and passwords (system level). Like network data, application data also may be ephemeral in that it is created as necessary and disappears when its usefulness is at an end. Also like network data, application data generally is impossible to track and review after the advanced service has been provided to the call because no record of the application data is made or stored. Thus, further like network data, application data truly fits the definition of transparent data.
Subscriber data includes the data that is stored or otherwise used in connection with telecommunication services including advanced services to a particular subscriber. For example, subscriber data may include preferred carrier, preferred routing, preferred billing, and screening information. Unlike network data and application data, subscriber data may be stored and recorded in association with other records pertaining to a subscriber. Nevertheless, subscriber data is typically unavailable to a person or entity placing or receiving a test call, and thus, subscriber data fits within the definition of transparent data.
In sum, the method of simply placing a test call from a test calling line to another test calling line cannot serve as a mechanism to test or trouble-shoot an advanced service with respect to transparent data that is involved in the application of the advanced service to a call. This method cannot serve as such a test mechanism because the transparent data is unavailable to the person or entity placing the call or the person or entity receiving the call. For example, the person placing a test call does not have access to network, application or subscriber data that may be generated or recorded in the process of the provision of an advanced service to the test call.
To obtain the transparent data that may be generated or recorded in the provision of an advanced service to a test call, the only method heretofore available is a case by case review of the appropriate software or hardware involved in the passing of the transparent data in signaling messages or recording of the transparent data such as in billing or other measurements. The review of the appropriate software or hardware involves the use of sophisticated debugging programs and systems. Thus, a person who is testing or trouble shooting an advanced service and desires to review the transparent data that is generated or recorded in the provision of the advanced service must learn to use and then implement a sophisticated debugging program as appropriate to each type of transparent data that is to be reviewed. It takes a lot of time and effort to conduct such a review of transparent data, and it takes a significant amount of skill on the part of the person to carry out such an intensive review.
By way of example, the testing of a new advanced service or the trouble shooting of an implemented advanced service is usually performed by a technician with programming experience. To test or trouble shoot an advanced service, the technician accesses the appropriate network element through a workstation. The technician sets traces on the communications to which the advanced service is applied and receives a debugging record with respect to each such communication. The technician then deciphers the error codes in the debugging record to determine the particular communications of interest. The technician attempts to correct any problems, and then the technician repeats these described testing procedures to verify that the attempted corrections had proved successful.
This example demonstrates that the testing of a new advanced service or the trouble shooting of an implemented advanced service with respect to transparent data has been limited to skilled individuals with access to sophisticated debugging programs and equipment. In other words, there is no method or system that a subscriber could use to check information with respect to an advanced service to which the subscriber subscribes and which information is included in transparent data.
Further, the testing of a new advanced service or the trouble shooting of an implemented advanced service with respect to transparent data has been an intensive activity in terms of time and effort for the person conducting the tests or trouble-shooting. Even when such testing or trouble-shooting has been conducted, the test information is obtained on a delayed basis. In other words, real-time testing or trouble shooting has been impossible because the appropriate software records have to be obtained and reviewed with respect to the desired transparent data. The lack of real-time testing or trouble shooting for transparent data of an advanced service slows the overall testing and implementation of a new advanced service and slows the corrections to an implemented advanced service with problems.
Finally, these problems with the testing or trouble shooting for transparent data involved in the provision of an advanced service negatively affect the design, implementation, and maintenance of advanced services in a telecommunications system, and ultimately, negatively affect the competitive posture of the service provider that seeks to bring the advanced services to the telecommunications market.
Therefore, there is a need for a method and system that obtains test information regarding an advanced service in a telecommunications system.
In particular, there is a need for a method and system that obtains test information with respect to transparent data that is generated in connection with the provision of an advanced service to a call as the call is routed or processed through the telecommunications system.
More particularly, there is a need for such a method and system that obtains such test information on a real-time basis.
Even more particularly, there is a need for such a method and system that obtains such test information in an efficient, simple, and cost effective manner without the use of complex equipment or sophisticated debugging programs.
Yet even more particularly, there is a need for a method and system that allows a subscriber to obtain such test information so as to check information with respect to an advanced service to which the subscriber subscribes and which information is included in transparent data.